1. Research Project at Cabra

2.  Compulsory elements awarded a total of 110 credits towards SACE completion  These are the Board-accredited subjects and/or Board-recognised courses that must be completed at least at the equivalent of ‘satisfactory achievement’ level; that is, a grade of ‘C’* or better for all of the following:  the Personal Learning Plan at Stage 1, awarded 10 credits (a compulsory Board-accredited subject)  literacy requirement — from a range of English subjects or courses at Stage 1 and/or Stage 2, awarded 20 credits (see below for details)  numeracy requirement — from a range of mathematics subjects or courses at Stage 1 and/or Stage 2, awarded 10 credits (see below for details)  the Research Project at Stage 2, awarded 10 credits (a compulsory Board-accredited subject)  other Board-accredited subjects and/or Board-recognised courses at Stage 2, awarded 60 credits. Research Project at Cabra

3.  Flexibility  Semester 2 in Year 11 or Year 12 (Both Stage 2)  Allows students to tailor their workload and subject combinations to suit their needs  Opportunities for Success  ATAR  Refining research and reporting skills for the future  Most life-like subject Research Project at Cabra

5.  Resources  Teachers & Librarians  SACE Website  Communication  Students & Teachers  Students and Parents  Parents and Teachers

6. School Assessed 70%Externally Assessed 30% PROPOSAL Students consider and define a research question and outline their initial ideas for research. Production and substantiation of key findings Research Project B 2000 words max or 12 minutes if oral or multimodal equivalent Research Project B - Evaluation A written summary of 150 words plus A written report of 1500 words (max) (Can count for ATAR) RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT Evidence of the research in written, oral or multimodal form. A selection of evidence will be presented for moderation. The evidence should comprise ten A4 pages (written) or a maximum of 20 minutes (oral), or the equivalent in multimodal form. Assessment Type 2: Research Outcome (40%) Assessment Type 3: Evaluation (30%) Assessment Types for the Research Project - B Assessment Type 1: Folio (30%) DISCUSSION One or more discussions with the teacher. The evidence selected for moderation may include material from the proposal, the research development and/or the discussion.

7. Folio – Your working out  PLANNING  P1 Thorough consideration and refinement of a research question.  P2 Thorough planning of research processes that are highly appropriate to the research question.  DEVELOPMENT  D1 Thorough and highly resourceful development of the research.  D2 In-depth analysis of information and exploration of ideas to develop the research.  D3 Highly effective development of knowledge and skills specific to the research question.  D4 Thorough and informed understanding and development of one or more capabilities.

8. P1 Thorough consideration and refinement of a research question  You get no points for already having a perfect question  You need to show the process you went through, eg mind maps, brainstorming, discussions with teachers and others, SWOT analysis  This can change multiple times throughout the process, as long as you record/explain it.  This is the key to the whole thing  Has the student shown evidence of both the consideration of a possible area for research, and the process undertaken to develop a researchable and manageable research question from a broad topic?

9. P1 Thorough consideration and refinement of a research question  A research question:  could be based on an idea or issue, a technical or practical challenge, a hypothesis, creating an artefact, or solving a problem  may be an area of interest that is not related to a subject or course  may be linked to content in an existing subject or course. Work that has been previously assessed for another subject or course cannot be used in this subject. However, information gained or ideas expressed in one assessment task can be extended in another assessment task.  Students refine their question, ensuring that the question lends itself to being researched and that the research is likely to be manageable and achievable. Refining a question may involve identifying a precise context, for example, place, type, age-group, or time period.  Students and teachers must ensure that the research question and processes proposed do not compromise the principles of honest, safe, and ethical research.

10. Draft 1: Why is there a mystery about the ship, the Mary Celeste? Draft 2: What are the theories regarding the disappearance of the crew of the Mary Celeste? Refined :To what extent is mutiny the most likely cause of the abandonment of the ship the Mary Celeste? Draft 1 leads you towards a description of why a mystery exists. Whilst this is not an incorrect question, it lacks focus upon the ‘truth’, i.e. the best possible theory for the mystery that you are interested in. Draft 2 focuses more upon the actual theories but only requires you to outline each one. Again, this suggests a more descriptive, rather than analytical, approach. The Refined Research Topic allows you to show your thinking about the theories. By asking ‘to what extent’, you are required to make a considered judgement about the mutiny theory in comparison with the other theories. This enables you to demonstrate higher order thinking skills and show the depth of your knowledge and understanding of all the different theories.

11. Some examples of the many questions which were interesting this year include:  To what extent do freedom-of-speech liberties in Australia and France impact on each country’s ability to use satirical cartoon as a form of political comment?  To what extent are current shark-attack mitigation methods viable and effective and what other options could be practically implemented in Australia?  What have been the positive and negative aspects of the extension of the tramline through the city of Adelaide and down Port Road to the Entertainment Centre?  How does the overuse of technology affect a child’s cognitive and social development?  How can track-sprinting performance be improved for an adolescent female?  Can the technique of dry needling be as effective as traditional options in treating neuromuscular skeletal and chronic pain?  In what ways is feminism relevant to Indigenous Australians today?  What are the challenges facing same-sex couples raising children?

13. P1 Thorough consideration and refinement of a research question  Some advice:  Choose something which interests you, but which you don’t already know everything about. Unlike other subjects, this isn’t about what you know, it’s about how good you are at finding things out.  You will need both Primary and Secondary research. Make sure you will be able to get access to both of these for your topic. (connected to P2)

14. P2 Thorough planning of research processes that are highly appropriate to the research question  consider and select research processes that are likely to be appropriate to their research question (i.e. valid, ethical, and manageable research processes).  Valid – will relate specifically to your question (eg, no surveys for the sake of surveys)  Ethical – No one will be hurt, embarrassed, you won’t do anything dodgy to get information  Manageable – you will actually be able to do it with your resources and in the given time  Has the student shown clear evidence of choosing research methods for their research, and why these methods are appropriate to their question?

15. Ways to demonstrate P1 & P2  Proposal - Convince your teacher that your topic will work  Why you chose your question and what processes you went through to refine it.  What specific sources you will use and how they will be relevant to your question  How you are going to make sure your processes are ethical and manageable  Which Capability you will develop and how (More on this later)  How you will present your outcome – this is important  Timeline  Flow chart

18. D1 Thorough and highly resourceful development of the research  Has the student shown evidence of engagement in activities, which shows depth and breadth of research, to find information that will assist in the progression of the research?

19. D1 Thorough and highly resourceful development of the research  use of an annotated bibliography which provided comments as to why some sources were invaluable or not in being able to answer the research question  documentation of decisions regarding research processes, before commencing research processes, and during and after using research processes  reference to mentors or supportive primary sources which provided more detailed and insightful perspectives into their findings  explicit evidence of the development of the research by coming back to the development of their understanding in light of the research question; such responses explicitly defined the student’s progress  reference to databases that included periodicals/subscriptions/transcripts, which reflected the use of a variety of sources in order to answer the research question  reference to carefully crafted surveys for which focus groups had been carefully selected and appropriate socio-economic, gender, or age groups considered.

20. D2 In-depth analysis of information and exploration of ideas to develop the research  validity, reliability, currency, and bias of their source and what they discovered  where their research was going and why  what they needed to do next and why  challenges and opportunities that were being presented, and how these were affecting their research  drew the threads together of what they had already discovered  links and cross-references to other sources were made, which built the research, rather than isolated source analysis.  Ongoing reference to ethical issues, including the influence of the student’s own bias  Has the student shown clear evidence of analysis, and exploration of ideas, by considering the key findings, reliability and validity of information from their research?

21. D3 Highly effective development of knowledge and skills specific to the research question  exploring their ideas through extended reflections  development of interview questions that had been annotated and revealed knowledge  documentation of experimentation, graphs, tables, photographic evidence, or conceptual diagrams  engaged with this information in light of the development of their research question.  evidence of continuously building on their knowledge and staying ‘on track’  consistently pulled together the threads and development of their findings and engaged in an insightful manner with their sources; such as grappling with contradictory information or coming to some form of a resolution to their research question.  Has the student shown clear evidence of progress in their skills and knowledge in the context of their research?

22. D4 Thorough and informed understanding and development of one or more capabilities  Has the student shown clear evidence of both understanding and progression in one or more Capabilities? Choose one of these and explain, throughout your folio, for each source and/or each research process, how your understanding developed.  literacy  numeracy  information and communications technology  critical and creative thinking  personal and social  ethical understanding  intercultural understanding

23. Folio Presentation  10 single sided A4 pages.  balanced evidence against all of the specific features  present a tight snapshot of the research undertaken and the research processes used  effectively used the entire space available on their 10 pages of evidence  providing evidence of how their research was developing in light of the question  signposts within their folios to clearly identify evidence of the specific features

24. Outcome – The normal piece of work  SYNTHESIS  S1 Insightful synthesis of knowledge, skills, and ideas to produce a resolution to the research question. – How well you answer your question  S2 Insightful and thorough substantiation of key findings relevant to the research outcome. – That you’ve supported all of your ideas with references  S3 Clear and coherent expression of ideas.  2000 words, 12 minutes or equivalent

26. The research outcome must include the key findings and substantiation. The research outcome can take the form of:  the key findings and substantiation, which together form a product  Examples include: an essay, a report, an oral or written history, with appropriate in-text referencing and a bibliography and/or a references list; a multimedia presentation; a documented science experiment  or  the key findings and substantiation, with elements of or reference to a separate product  Examples include: a supporting statement and annotated photographs of a product that has been created; an extract from a student-developed children’s story, with a record of the background research  or  the key findings presented as annotations on a product, and substantiated by evidence and examples of the research  Examples include: a recorded dance performance with notes and a director’s statement.

27. S1 Insightful synthesis of knowledge, skills, and ideas to produce a resolution to the research question  a clear and explicit resolution to the question, which was then unpacked by maintaining an unwavering focus on answering the question throughout the body of the outcome and clearly reinforced in the use of appropriate and well-phrased subheadings  clearly articulating each key finding and then weighing evidence from a range of sources and perspectives, which supported the assertion of the prominence of this finding to the research  clearly articulating which were the most important ideas to emerge and providing evidence of why they were more important than others.  accessed a wide range of sources and then brought together the common threads from the diverse range of perspectives  targeted at an appropriate audience in relation to their chosen question achieved at a higher standard.  Has the student taken the key pieces of their research and used them to present a resolution to the research question?

28. S2 Insightful and thorough substantiation of key findings relevant to the research outcome  multiple references, examples, or perspectives to the key findings  explicit mentioning of references within the text  references were either embedded within the written report or oral/multimedia presentation  It is reference to the process that has led to the product being constructed in a certain way that best demonstrates substantiating of the key findings, rather than what has been created  Has the student supported the presentation of their key findings with direct evidence from their research?

29. S3 Clear and coherent expression of ideas  Has the student presented information which is logically structured and clear in meaning?  more than just correct grammar and punctuation  use of subheadings, graphs, or diagrams to support  a formal conclusion at the end of the outcome to provide clear evidence of resolving the question

30. Outcome – Some advice  Choose a mode of presentation which  A) works well for your topic  B) works well with your skills

31. Evaluation - 1500 words  E1 Insightful evaluation of the research processes used, specific to the research question.  E2 Critical evaluation of decisions made in response to challenges and/or opportunities specific to the research processes used.  E3 Insightful evaluation of the quality of the research outcome.  S3 Clear and coherent expression of ideas.

32. E1 Insightful evaluation of the research processes used, specific to the research question  Has the student made judgements to clearly assess the effectiveness of research processes used, with a focus on the validity, reliability and usefulness of the process?  judgments about the research processes in relation to the findings and information generated  strengths and limitations of processes contextualised in relation to their specific question  clear links between the research process(es) and its value to the research in terms of providing valid and credible evidence regarding its contribution to an increase in breadth of the research and/or subsequent quality of the outcome  judgments about which research processes were the most effective in comparison to other processes used

33. E2 Critical evaluation of decisions made in response to challenges and/or opportunities specific to the research processes used  Has the student made judgements to clearly assess the effectiveness of the decisions they made, when faced with challenges and opportunities in finding information for their research?  What was the challenge and/or opportunity (keep it simple)  What decision did I make? (and why)  Was this a good decision? (justify reasons, with examples)  Outcome: What were the consequences of this decision?  Focus on the most significant decision, not necessarily the biggest challenge (or the best opportunity). Make sure the challenge or opportunity is linked to the research processes used to find information.

34. E3 Insightful evaluation of the quality of the research outcome  Has the student made judgements to clearly assess the strengths and limitations of the Research Outcome, with a focus on its substance and, if applicable, its style?  general statement about the quality of the research outcome and then discuss specific aspects of it that either strengthened it or weakened it  quality of the sources used  originality of the finding  forms of substantiation used  suitability for its intended audience  breadth of perspectives provided  purpose of the research outcome and why or how the purpose was met or not met, as well as explicitly identifying how well the question had been resolved  strengths and limitations of research outcome

35. S3 Clear and coherent expression of ideas  structural features such as topic sentences  Use of subheadings  appropriate use of subject-specific vocabulary such as ‘biased’, ‘credibility’, and ‘validity’

37. Advice from previous RP students…  1. If you get it over and done with you don't need to do it as long. 2. Meet the deadlines.  They should spend a lot of time on their RP as it will help improve their ATAR score. Don't leave things to the last minute and be well prepared so that they don't have to do it next semester. Don't waste time in class. Decide a good research topic that you enjoy and their is a lot of information about the topic as you will enjoy RP more. Lastly if you ever need help go ask a teacher.  Don't waste time in the lessons  If you read the criteria and meet every deadline, Research project isn't as hard as it seems  Pick a topic you are interested in and will enjoy doing your RP on cause you do it for a long time  1. Start researching early 2. Plan well 3. Finish each part, Folio, Outcome and Evaluation, as soon as you can 4. Don't think you can drag the due dates out because it causes more stress

38.  "Do not tell yourself that you can always drop the subject and pick it up again in year 12 because that was the biggest mistake I have ever made in my entire life and I'm sure Ms Jenner will tell you all about it. Stick to the due dates no matter what. RP is the priority."

39. Research Project Timeline (Draft)  Draft Proposal: Last Lesson Week 10 Term 2  Final Proposal: First Lesson Week 1  Folio: Start of Week 5 Term 3  Draft Outcome: Start of Week 7 Term 3  Final Outcome: Last Lesson Week 8 Term 3  Draft Evaluation: Last Lesson Week 9 Term 3  Final Evaluation: Last Lesson Week 10 Term 3  Internal Moderation Start of Week 2 Term 4 DraftDraftDraftDraftDraft DraftDraftDraftDraft